HERE’S A HANDY ROAD MAP TO THEIR WORLDLY VIEWS
In advance of Canada’s first leaders’ foreign policy debate on Monday night, Lee Berthiaume of the Ottawa Citizen examines key differences in the participants’ philosophies and positions.
Free trade is central to the Conservatives’ foreign policy, but their government hasn’t actually completed many big deals. An agreement with the European Union isn’t finalized, and those with India and the 11 countries of the TransPacific Partnership ( TPP) have remained in limbo, despite Canada indicating it’s willing to make some concessions in sensitive areas like supply management and autos.
The Liberals are pro- free trade, and have supported agreements the Conservatives concluded.
The NDP supports talks with the EU and the TPP, but the party is also arguably the most strident in defending supply management and anything that would hurt Canada’s manufacturing sector.
MILITARY INTERVENTION
The Conservatives would continue the war against ISIL, and have been willing to deploy military force to fight perceived threats. This includes missions that don’t have United Nations approval, or are outside NATO’s ambit.
New Democrats would end Canada’s war against ISIL. They say they would approve military action under a UN mandate, as happened with Libya in 2011. But otherwise, their emphasis is on peacekeeping, humanitarian emergencies and support.
The Liberals would stop bombing ISIL, but continue training Kurdish forces in northern Iraq. Their broader policy is to approve military deployments “on a case- by- case basis.”
FOREIGN AID
The Conservatives have cut aid funding and rejected calls to increase spending to the international target of 0.7 per cent of GDP. They have instead emphasized funding sources such as the private sector, and directed assistance to trading partners and countries with Canadian mining operations.
The NDP says there isn’t enough money to fulfil a previous promise to increase aid to 0.7 per cent of GDP in its first mandate. It has promised to re- engage traditional aid groups.
The Liberals haven’t revealed their own position on the aid target. They have also said they would re- engage with international development groups.
FRIENDS AND ENEMIES
The Conservatives espouse a “principled” foreign policy that involves choosing sides, rejecting the idea of being an “honest broker.” They have called out Russia over Ukraine, and kept sanctions in place against Iran even after a nuclear deal was signed.
The Liberals and NDP have both promised to return to what they say is Canada’s traditional role as a mediator. This includes re- establishing diplomatic relations with Iran. But both agree with the Conservatives over Russia and Ukraine.
The NDP, meanwhile, was the only party to support upgraded status for Palestine at the UN.
MULTILATERALISM
The Conservatives have prioritized relations with “likeminded” partners. This includes the U. S., U. K., New Zealand and Australia as well as the Pacific Alliance, made up of Chile, Peru, Colombia and Mexico. They view organizations like the UN as broken and unaccountable.
The NDP and Liberals have both promised to return Canada to a leadership role at the UN. While they say reform of the organization is necessary, they believe it remains best- placed to tackle global issues.
Both would also focus on Africa.
HUMAN RIGHTS
The Conservatives have championed the rights of religious minorities as well as those of gays and women overseas. They have also promised to begin sanctioning human rights violators. Yet they have refused to stop security officials from using information obtained through torture, and have allowed the sale of weapons to countries with questionable rights records.
The NDP and Liberals haven’t identified their priorities when it comes to human rights abroad. And while both have questioned a $ 14- billion deal to sell armoured vehicles to Saudi Arabia, neither has said they would cancel the contract.
The NDP says it would ban the use of information obtained through torture.
SUPERPOWERS
There are no countries more important than the U. S. and China, yet Canada’s relations with both are at a low point. The Keystone XL pipeline debate has all but taken over relations with Canada’s neighbour and largest trading partner to the south, while analysts and former diplomats say relations with China are on autopilot.
The Liberals, who also support Keystone, have vowed to be more polite than Harper and address U. S. environmental concerns about the oilsands. The Liberals haven’t said anything about China.
The NDP, which opposes Keystone, hasn’t said what its priorities are with the U. S. aside from boosting the number of American tourists to Canada.
On China, the NDP has expressed reservations over a foreign investment agreement signed last year, but has also cautiously supported Chinese investment in Canada.